Optimal simple step stress accelerated life test design for reliability prediction

A step stress accelerated life testing model is presented to obtain the optimal hold time at which the stress level is changed. The experimental test is designed to minimize the asymptotic variance of reliability estimate at time zeta. A Weibull distribution is assumed for the failure time at any constant stress level. The scale parameter of the Weibull failure time distribution at constant stress levels is assumed to be a log-linear function of the stress level. The maximum likelihood function is given for the step stress accelerated life testing model with Type I censoring, from which the asymptotic variance and the Fisher information matrix are obtained. An optimal test plan with the minimum asymptotic variance of reliability estimate at time is determined. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.